Taurus XL Rocket Fully Assembled At Launch Site

LAUNCH PAD

On Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, OCO, upper stack is lowered toward the Stage 0 motor of the Taurus XL vehicle. Image credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) Feb 20, 2009
The Orbital Sciences Taurus XL rocket set to launch NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory is now fully assembled at Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The vehicle's upper stack - consisting of the payload's protective fairing and Stages 1, 2 and 3 - was installed Feb. 18 atop Stage 0, which has been in place at the launch pad since Jan. 29.

Liftoff is scheduled for Feb. 24 at 1:51:30 a.m. PST (4:51:30 a.m. EST).

The OCO is a new Earth-orbiting mission sponsored by NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder Program. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere.

Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas.

This improved understanding will enable more reliable forecasts of future changes in the abundance and distribution of CO2 in the atmosphere and the effect that these changes may have on the Earth's climate.

Memory Foam Mattress Review

SPACE MEDIA NETWORK PROMOTIONS
Solar Energy Solutions
Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison ...

Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

LAUNCH PAD

Kepler Is Ready To Be Moved To The Launch Pad Today

Pasadena CA (SPX) Feb 20, 2009
NASA's Kepler spacecraft is ready to be moved to the launch pad today and will soon begin a journey to search for worlds that could potentially host life. Kepler is scheduled to blast into space from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., aboard a Delta II rocket on March 5 at 7:48 p.m. Pacific Time (10:48 p.m. Eastern Time).

AEROSPACE Swiss aircraft firm to cut jobs in Ireland Major airlines call for climate deal to include aviation Bank of China extends massive credit to state aircraft maker Shanghai Airlines seeks capital injection	CAR TECH Nearly 1,500 more cars in Beijing daily: state media China overtakes US as largest auto market: state media Culture shock: Getting a Chinese driver's licence Tesla shifts electric sedan site to win US government loan
MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS Boeing Delivers First Communications Payload To MUOS Prime Contractor Raytheon Delivers Final Sentinel R Mk 1 Aircraft For UK ASTOR System USAF Awards LockMart Team Contract To Extend TSAT Risk Reduction/System Definition Phase Major Test Of Second Advanced EHF MilComms Satellite Underway	MISSILE DEFENSE Obama team urges Polish patience on shield Does Missile Defense Discourage Nuclear Proliferation Part 14 Raytheon's JLENS Passes Key Milestone The Missile Defense Reality Check Part 13
FARM NEWS Trust to save food crops from extinction New caterpillar plague hits Liberia, spreads to Ivory Coast UN unveils ambitious 'green' food programme Good bacteria Can Be EZ Pass For Oral Vaccine Against Anthrax	DISASTER MANAGEMENT Australian wildfire death toll rises to 208: police Aus fire death toll unlikely to rise much above 200: police 300 hurt in Bolivia landslide Singapore firm to fight Australia fires suit
TECH SPACE Satellite Collision Triggers Calls For Space Traffic Regulations Space As An Increasingly Crowded Place Satellite traffic control system urged ABSL Ships First Hardware From Colorado	ROBO SPACE U.S., Chinese scientists build nanorobot NASA And Caltech Test Steep-Terrain Rover NASA And Caltech Test Steep-Terrain Rover ASI Chaos Small Robot To Participate In Series Of Exercises

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright Space.TV Corporation. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space.TV Corp on any Web page published or hosted by Space.TV Corp. Privacy Statement